It took a couple of years to fix this road & it was way behind schedule: now some info from an interesting news item

Ghost projects

Phouphet Khamphounvong, Lao finance minister from 2012 to 2014 and formerly a governor of the Bank of the Lao PDR (People’s Democratic Republic), was arrested “at the end of December 2015 while attending a party,” a finance ministry source told RFA’s Lao Service.

The Lao government had previously granted concessions to private firms to build roads in Oudomxay province in northern Laos to support the country’s 10th National Sport Games, which were held in December 2014, sources said in earlier reports.

And though those roads were never built, the contracting firms later converted bonds issued in promise of future payment into cash with the help of “commissions” paid to finance ministry officials, sources said.

The scheme has caused losses so far of over 300 billion kip (U.S. $36,840,092) to the state budget, with little chance that money will ever be recovered.

The governor of Oudomxay province has now been “urgently removed” from office on suspicion of involvement in the scheme, with Phetsakhone Luangaphay, a deputy minister serving in the central government, replacing him as governor in September 2015, sources said.

Update June 2016
The Pak Mong - Oudom Xai road is in total perfect condition & one of the best winding rides you can do at the moment.
Confirmed by the girlfriend's motion sickness, twice, riding pillion.